Dillon SDB - Caliber Change - Frustration

[EddieZoom]

After a decade or so break, I've got the Dillon SDB humming again. I've been cranking out 45's(200gr LSWC over 4.8gr W231) with great success and relative ease. So, feeling pretty good about myself I decide to give 38's a try. Grab the caliber change kit and spare toolhead from Dillon and bolt it all together. So far, so good.

Working towards nice light target loads (148gr DEWC over 2.8gr Bullseye). Using mixed brass (20+ years old) and CCI small primers with Shooting Star "Cowboy" 148gr DEWC's.

First time "starting from scratch" with the SDB dies so working through the learning curve on making initial adjustments. I am struggling to find the right balance between too much/little bell and too much/little crimp.

This load specifically is a PITA...trying to load the DEWC's flush but once I do either have too little crimp (round won't fit in cylinder) or too much (bullet gets seated deeper than desired). My initial bell adjustment was so far out of whack I was splitting every third piece of brass.

So, what process do you guys use when changing to a "never before loaded" caliber ? How do you "get close" with the die adjustments before ultimately dialing it in ?

Any advice specifically on the evil 38spl DEWC ;-)

Thanks.

 

[IPSC_DRL]

Can't help with the DEWC but I just follow the Dillon instructions and have had good luck.

 

[EddieCoyle]

You're loading mixed brass, so the length of your cases is going to vary slightly. The SAAMI spec for .38 Special is 1.150", +/-0.005". My experience is that the actual variation with mixed .38 Special brass is slightly more than this.

Case length affects both the bell and crimp - longer cases end up with more of each, shorter cases with less. Normally it's not a problem. You can usually find a compromise that will work reasonably well with all of your cases. Sometimes the shortest ones won't bell enough and the bullets are hard to seat (or you'll shave some lead), and the longest ones may bulge during crimping (and will be hard/impossible to chamber).

My guess is that these problems are made more obvious with the DEWCs because you're trying to seat flush and crimp exactly the same amount on every round, and with these bullets, any variation in case length is really obvious.

Sort by headstamp - or if you're really ambitious by case length - and your problems will go away.

 

[EddieZoom]

Sort by headstamp - or if you're really ambitious by case length - and you're problems will go away.

Thanks EC, that's what I'm gonna do.